5 Best Practices for Writing Clean and Maintainable Code

Writing clean and maintainable code is a cornerstone of professional software development. Clean code isn’t just about aesthetics—it directly impacts scalability, ease of debugging, and teamwork. Whether you’re working alone or as part of a team, adopting these best practices will save time and effort while improving code quality.

Use Meaningful and Descriptive Naming

Good names act as a map for your code. Always use variable, function, and class names that clearly describe their purpose. Avoid cryptic abbreviations or vague single-letter names (except in short-lived loops). Remember: code is read far more than it is written.

// Bad:
let x = 10;
 
// Good:
let maxUserCount = 10;

Quick Tip:

Use names that describe the why or what, not just the how. For instance:

// Bad:
function sendEmail(user, message) {
  validateEmail(user.email);
  // Logic to send the email
  logEmailSent(user, message);
}
 
// Good:
function validateEmail(email) {
  // Validation logic
}
 
function sendEmail(user, message) {
  // Email sending logic
}
 
function logEmailSent(user, message) {
  // Log details
}

Why?

Breaking down code into smaller, focused pieces makes them reusable and improves test coverage.

Embrace the DRY Principle (Don’t Repeat Yourself)

Duplicated code is a hidden trap—it creates unnecessary complexity and doubles maintenance efforts. Abstract common logic into reusable functions, modules, or classes.

// Bad:
function createAdminUser(name, email) {
  // Logic to create a user
  // Assign admin role
}
 
function createRegularUser(name, email) {
  // Logic to create a user
}
 
// Good:
function createUser(name, email, role = "regular") {
  // Logic to create a user
  // Assign role
}

DRY Tip:

Use configuration options or dependency injection to handle variations in functionality.

function createUser({ name, email, role = "regular" }) {
  // Unified user creation logic
}

Write Self-Documenting Code

The best code explains itself. While comments are useful, relying on them too much often signals unclear or overly complex code. Instead, use meaningful names and structure your code for clarity.

// Bad:
let t = new Date(); // Gets current date and time
 
// Good:
let currentTimestamp = new Date();

Handle Errors Gracefully

Error handling should do more than just catch errors—it should provide actionable insights. Use meaningful error messages and avoid swallowing exceptions.

// Bad:
try {
  processPayment();
} catch (e) {
  console.error("Error occurred");
}
 
// Good:
try {
  processPayment();
} catch (error) {
  console.error(`Payment failed: ${error.message}`);
}

Advanced Error Handling Tip:

Use custom error classes to categorize and handle specific error types.

class PaymentError extends Error {
  constructor(message) {
    super(message);
    this.name = "PaymentError";
  }
}
 
try {
  processPayment();
} catch (error) {
  if (error instanceof PaymentError) {
    console.error("Handle payment error:", error.message);
  } else {
    throw error;
  }
}